Page 6 of Bad Star

“Mr Bradley, that sounds like a threat. This is not one of your blockbusters. Spare me the melodrama.”

Jack spoke quietly, with meaning. “You won’t come between us. You are irrelevant.”

Margaret sighed. “I may be irrelevant. But Rainn already has a boyfriend and he is not. So you might as well give up now.”

“What?” shouted Jack, unable to control the fury in his voice. “What boyfriend? She never mentioned a boyfriend.”

“I’m sorry. But she has a long-term boyfriend, so your interest is unwanted.”

“What’s his name?” snarled Jack.

“John,” retorted Margaret, without thinking.

“Well, you can tell John the same thing I told you. Neither of you will stand between Rainn and I.”

“Goodbye, Mr Bradley. I shall block your number now.”

“Do what you like. It will make no difference.”

Margaret ended the call and blocked him as she said she would. She was angry and acted before she had a chance to feel bad about doing something behind Rainn’s back. If Rainn had heard the way he had spoken, she wouldn’t have wanted to speak to him, she reasoned. She phoned John and invited him for dinner and he happily accepted.

Rainn looked up enquiringly as Margaret came back into the room. “Did I get a call?” she asked.

“Yes you did, from John” lied Margaret, “So I answered and invited him for dinner. I hope you don’t mind.”